The tomahawk chop appears headed for retirement.
In the midst of reviewing its longtime offensive celebration, the Atlanta Braves removed a large wooden sign outside Truist Field which read “Chop On,” a Twitter post from The Athletic revealed. The team did not respond for comment.
While the Braves have already declared they would not follow the footsteps of Washington’s NFL franchise and change their nickname, the team said it would look into whether the tomahawk chop would still be permitted and encouraged inside its stadium.
The team sent a letter to season-ticket holders, explaining why it would retain its nickname.
“The Atlanta Braves honors, respects and values the Native American community,” the letter said. “As an organization, we have always drawn strength from our diversity and respect for everyone. That will never change.
“We have had an active and supportive relationship with the Native American community for many years. Last fall, we furthered this relationship and pledged to meet and listen to Native American and tribal leaders from many areas, including the Eastern Band of the Cherokees [EBCI] in North Carolina. As a result, we formed a cultural working relationship with the EBCI and have also formed a Native American Working Group with a diverse collection of other tribal leaders to collaborate on matters related to culture, education, outreach, and recognition on an on-going basis.
“Through our conversations, changing the name of the Braves is not under consideration or deemed necessary. We have great respect and reverence for our name and the Native American communities that have held meaningful relationships with us do as well. We will always be the Atlanta Braves.
“As it relates to the fan experience, including the chop, it is one of the many issues that we are working through with the advisory group. The chop was popularized by our fans when Deion Sanders joined our team and it continues to inspire our players on the field. With that in mind, we are continuing to listen to the Native American community, as well as our fans, players, and alumni to ensure we are making an informed decision on this part of our fan experience.”
